Vehicle wheel illumination assembly using photoluminescent material

Abstract

A vehicle wheel illumination assembly includes a light source located on the body of a vehicle near the wheel well and oriented to direct light onto a wheel assembly having a tire. A tire pressure indicator detects tire pressure of the tire. The light source illuminates the wheel assembly with a desired color to indicate a tire pressure status based on the detected tire pressure. A photoluminescent material is located on the wheel assembly and configured to luminesce in response to excitation by the light assembly.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A vehicle wheel illumination assembly comprising:
 a light source located on a vehicle body and arranged to illuminate a wheel assembly having a tire; 
 a first photoluminescent material located on one of the tire and a wheel of the wheel assembly and configured to luminesce a first color in response to excitation by the light source indicative of tire pressure; and 
 a second photoluminescent material located on at least one of a valve stem and a valve stem cap of the wheel assembly on the wheel assembly and configured to luminescence a second color different from the first color in response to excitation by the light source. 
 
     
     
       2. The assembly of  claim 1  further comprising a controller for controlling the light source to illuminate the wheel assembly. 
     
     
       3. The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first photoluminescent material is located on the tire. 
     
     
       4. The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first photoluminescent material is located on the wheel of the wheel assembly. 
     
     
       5. The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the second photoluminescent material comprises a rylene dye. 
     
     
       6. The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first photoluminescent material comprises phosphor. 
     
     
       7. The assembly of  claim 1  further comprising a tire pressure detector for detecting the tire air pressure, wherein the light source illuminates the wheel assembly to indicate the tire pressure status indicative of the detected tire air pressure. 
     
     
       8. The assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the controller controls the light source to illuminate the wheel assembly with one color light to indicate low tire air pressure when the tire air pressure is below a pressure limit and to illuminate the wheel assembly with a different other color light to enable servicing of the tire. 
     
     
       9. The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the light source is located on the vehicle body near a wheel well. 
     
     
       10. A vehicle wheel illumination assembly comprising:
 a light source located on a body of a vehicle; 
 a tire pressure detector for detecting air inflation pressure of a tire on a wheel assembly of the vehicle; 
 first and second photoluminescent materials located on the wheel assembly configured to luminesce different colors in response to excitation by the light source, wherein the first photoluminescent material is located on one of the tire and a wheel and the second, photoluminescent material is located on at least one of a valve stem and a valve stem cap; and 
 a controller controlling the light source to illuminate the wheel assembly with a first color light indicative of a tire air pressure status. 
 
     
     
       11. The assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the controller further illuminates the wheel assembly with a second color light to enable servicing of the tire. 
     
     
       12. The assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the first photoluminescent material is located on an outer wall of the tire. 
     
     
       13. The assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the second photoluminescent material comprises a rylene dye. 
     
     
       14. The assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the first photoluminescent material comprises phosphor. 
     
     
       15. The assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the light source is located on the vehicle body at or near a wheel well of the vehicle. 
     
     
       16. A method of illuminating a vehicle wheel assembly comprising:
 arranging a light source on a vehicle body to illuminate a wheel assembly comprising a tire; 
 providing first and second photoluminescent materials on the wheel assembly, wherein the first photoluminescent material is located on one of the tire and a wheel and the second photoluminescent material is located on at least one of a valve stem and a valve stem cap; and 
 activating the light source to illuminate light on the wheel assembly and excite the first and second photoluminescent materials to luminesce different colors, wherein the first photoluminescent material luminesces a first color indicative of tire pressure. 
 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 16  further comprising the steps of detecting a low tire pressure of the tire and activating the light source to indicate low tire pressure with one color light. 
     
     
       18. The assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the second photoluminescent material comprises a rylene dye. 
     
     
       19. The assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the first photoluminescent material comprises phosphor.